QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Morelli, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Morelli, L. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Immune System and Disorders

---

Supplement: Influence of Diet on Infection and Allergy in Infants

Postnatal Development of Intestinal Microflora as Influenced by Infant Nutrition^1,2

Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29100 Piacenza, Italy

The postnatal period of a new human being is characterized, from the microbiological point of view, by the formation of a new ecosystem: the microflora of the human gut. In adulthood a number of barriers exert a potent selective action on bacteria arriving from the mouth, but in the very first stage of our life, these barriers are kept at a very low level, temporarily allowing penetration into the gut of bacteria that are not really believed to be "gut related." Moreover, type of delivery (natural vs. cesarean) and feeding (breast vs. bottle feeding) play dramatic roles in determining the microflora composition. In the last decade a number of articles have reported results on neonates' microflora obtained by means of culture-independent analysis. Data obtained by means of these techniques are in agreement with those produced by selective media, but they also provide some new insights about the presence of anaerobic bacteria. The focus of this article is to update knowledge on infants' microflora during the first 6 mo of life.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lorenzo.morelli{at}unicatt.it.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. K. A. Visser Dietary Influences on Infection and Allergy in Infants: Introduction J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1768S - 1769S. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. U. Wahn Strategies for Atopy Prevention J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1770S - 1772S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. M'Rabet, A. P. Vos, G. Boehm, and J. Garssen Breast-Feeding and Its Role in Early Development of the Immune System in Infants: Consequences for Health Later in Life J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1782S - 1790S. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Biasucci, B. Benenati, L. Morelli, E. Bessi, and G. Boehm Cesarean Delivery May Affect the Early Biodiversity of Intestinal Bacteria J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1796S - 1800S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Chirico, R. Marzollo, S. Cortinovis, C. Fonte, and A. Gasparoni Antiinfective Properties of Human Milk J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1801S - 1806S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Gottrand Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Influence the Immune System of Infants J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1807S - 1812S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. N. Lafeber, E. A. M. Westerbeek, A. van den Berg, W. P. F. Fetter, and R. M. van Elburg Nutritional Factors Influencing Infections in Preterm Infants J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1813S - 1817S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Boehm and G. Moro Structural and Functional Aspects of Prebiotics Used in Infant Nutrition J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1818S - 1828S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. B. van Goudoever, W. Corpeleijn, M. Riedijk, M. Schaart, I. Renes, and S. van der Schoor The Impact of Enteral Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 and Nutrition on Gut Permeability and Amino Acid Utilization J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1829S - 1833S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]